These Cinnamon Almond Bars are thin crispy bar cookies with an unexpected combination of cinnamon, almonds, and lemon! A crunchy contrast for your next cookie platter!
Day 7 (Part 2) of the annual 12 Days of Christmas Cookies 2021!
I consider myself pretty skilled in the baking department and very comfortable with a recipe.
You laugh but I know a lot of cooks who find even the mention of reading a recipe uncomfortable. You know who you are. Those “a pinch of this” and a “pinch of that” people. Save it for savory cooking unless you love staring at a flat loaf of bread or a dry, sad cookie.
But I *usually* draw the line at a multi-page recipe. If you have to go over the fold, I don’t have the patience for you. Maida Heatter is the exception to this rule. She loves a good lengthy, wordy recipe and I’m here for her. Don’t worry, I read it thoroughly and condensed it for you because I can’t help myself.
I’ll save all my extra words for my Youtube videos, where, apparently, according to some, I talk too much! ? I am who I am, people.
The Cinnamon Almond Bar Battle
I will say that half the battle with baking from old cookbooks is that you spend the whole time wondering, “what exactly is this supposed to look like?!” These bars were no exception. But the results were worth all the head scratching.
I mean it didn’t help that I got the wrong kind of almonds and my sous-chef and partner in crime spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure out how chopped blanched almonds were going to stay on top of the crust. Because they are slivered, ladies. Slivered. Smh.
Traditional Raspberry Linzer Cookies were Day 7 (Part 1) of 12 Days of Christmas Cookies 2021!
These Cardamom Crescent Cookies were Day 6!
We adored Part 2 of Day 5: the traditional Pfeffernüsse Cookies!
Part 1 of Day 5 was the wondrous: Moravian Christmas Cookie!
We all loved Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Orange Financiers!
Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Pistachio Cranberry Sablee Cookies!
We had Day 2 of the 12 Day Christmas Cookie celebration: Cashew Caramel Pretzel Blondies!
Don’t forget about Part One of Day 2 of the 12 Day Cookie Extravaganza: Hungarian Walnut Rolls!
And who could leave out Day 1, Italian Pizzelles!? Make them all!
Cinnamon Almond Bars
Ingredients
For the Bars:
- 1 ⅓ c Blanched (slivered almonds)
- 1 c Butter
- 2 t Cinnamon
- 1 c Sugar
- 1 Egg (separated)
- 2 c All-purpose flour
- ½ t Kosher salt
For the Glaze:
- 1 c Confectioner’s sugar
- 1 T Butter (melted )
- 1 T Water
- 1 T Lemon juice
Instructions
- Line 9x13 inch baking dish with crisscrossed parchment paper. A metal dish will produce a more evenly crisp cookie. You can also use a jelly roll pan.
- Preheat oven to 300°F
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream butter. Add the sugar and cinnamon and beat to mix well. Beat in the egg yolk (reserve the white).
- Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour and salt. Mix until combined.
- Press into the bottom of lined baking dish and spread and press into the dish with your hands. Try and get it as even as possible. But don’t try too hard. No one will see.
- In a small bowl beat or whisk the egg white until foamy. Brush the top of the dough with the reserved egg white. Spread all the almonds over the top of the dough. Press down slightly to adhere.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown. Mine took about 30 minutes.
- A minute or so before removing the bar from the oven, mix the glaze.
- In a bowl whisk together all ingredients for the glaze.
- Drizzle over the top of the warm bar and spread with an offset spatula if it pooled in areas.
- Cool 20-25 and then cut. I found a serrated knife useful here. Allow to cool completely. Store room temperature.
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